Tire former or core.



t A. A. FRANK. Y ms' FORMER 9H cose. MSPLlcATmN msn mm2. 1911.

.Patented Apr. 23, 19ML 2 sains-Suter 2.

ATE'NT g ARTHUR A. FRANK, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

'TIRE FORMER on conn.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, ARTHUR A. FRANK, a

lcitizen of the United States, residin at Miltion.

This invention relates to tire formers or cores.

In the manufacture of resilient or pneumatic tires it is customary tobuild up a hollow structure by stretching layers of fabric or cord abouta Circular forming core which is removed when the tire is completed. Forthe production of a satisfactory tire 1t is essential that the layers offabric or cord be tightl and uniformly tensioned or stretched othcircumferentially and transversely in order to prevent the formation ofwrinkles or' buckles therein and to insure longer life and freedom fromblow-outs, fabric breaks, rim cuts, and other troubles which may arisebecause of a non-uniform tension. The requisite circumferential ten-A ysioning is not difficult to obtain but to properly tension the layers offabric or cord in a` transverse direction presents a more seriousproblem.

This tensioning or stretching may bev produced by initially spacing theedges of the tire from the core and'subsequently forcing these edgesnearer together, and the prlncipal object of this invention lis toprovide an improved spacer for initially separating the tire edges fromthe core.

Another object is to provide a spacer in the form of a ring which may beeasily and quickly applied to the core and easily and quickly removedbefore the core and tire are placed in the mold.'

Another object isto provide a spacer which is so formed that it willalso 4serve as a gage or seat for properly positioning the tire bead.

Another object is to provide a spacer which is simple and inexpensive tomanufacture.

.Another object is to provide a spacing ring which my be handled as aunit instead of in sections.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23, 1918.

Application filed January 2, 1917. Serial N o. 140,098.

Two different types of the improved construction are shown in theaccompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 isa perspective View of onetype of spacing ring constructed in accordance y with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section takenon the line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3` is a perspective view of a different type of spacing ring;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectionof a core ring showing spacing rings ofthe type disclosed in Fig. 1 lapplied thereto;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing spacing rings of the typedisclosed in Fig. 3 applied thereto;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a core ring showing the manner of buildingup the tire over the core and the spacing rings;

Fig. 8 is a perspective View showing the manner in which the spacinrings are removed before the corey an the tire are placed in the mold;

Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the .core

and the tire thereon illustrating the mannerv in which the edges of thetire remain in spaced relation with the corresponding faces of the corewhen the spacing rings are removed; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing tho position which the edgesof the tire assume when they are forced into contact with thecorresponding faces ofthe core bythe mold.

A spacing ring constructed in accordance with the present invention maytake various different forms, but only two forms are herein disclosedfor the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The spacing ring is made of flexible material so shaped in cross sectionas to fit against the side of the core. When a ring is applied to eachside of the core, they supplement the core and build out the convergingfaces thereof. The members thus serve temporarily as a part of the coreand the edge portions of the tire are built over them. They may alsoserve as gages or seats for properly positioning the bead rings'of thetire. Due to their inherent flexibility these rings may be readilydeformed and withren drawn :troni the tire even alter the edges thereofhave been built over them.` rihis leaves the edges ot the tirestanclingaway :Trona the converging 'faces of the core proper when theyare subsequently forced against the converging faces ot the core thefabric ci' the tire is subjected to a transverse tensioning orstretching, as will be hereinafter explained.

.ln Figs. 1 and 2 the spacing ring 1 has the general cross-sectionalshape shown in Fig. 2, the groove 2 serving as a gage or seat forproperly positioning the bead as tending flanges t.

will hereinafter appean ln Fig. 5 spacing rings of the type illustratedin Figs. 1 and 2 are shown applied to a forming ring creare. The core 3is ont the usual construction, having converging :faces and 57 a vveb 5,and horizontally ex- Each spacing ring is placed upon the core so thatits thicker end will lie adjacent the corresponding lovver flange 7 oithe core and vritl?. one surface lush against the corresponding inclinedtace of the core as shown. lt will new be readily apparent that thepeculiar outline given to the ring is for the purpose of causing it tolit the core as shown in Fig. 5 and to build out or supplement theinclined faces l and 5.

in Figs. 3 and a a spacing ring 1() is shown which is substantially likethat shovv'n in Figs. 1 and 2 except that the thicker portion formingthe groove is omitted. rl`his type or ring is positioned on the core inthe manner shown in Fig. 6 so that the converg ing "laces 4 and 5 ot thecore will be supplernented or built out and may be used When the seatprovided by the groove is not desired.

Both types of spacer above described are continuous rings of anysuitable flexible material, although a broken ring may be used ifdesired and may in. some instances prove advantageous. rll`hey may bemade .largely of rubber and fabric and may be molded it desired.

The process et building the tire over the core and spacing rings issubstantially the saine regardless of which type of ring is used, andtherefore only the type shown in Figs. 1 and 2. is used in Figs. 7 to1() inclusive to illustrate the manner of making a tire.

As shown in Fig. 7, the first layer of fabric or cord 11, Which may beof any desired ply and thickness, is applied to the core and y its edgesare smoothed down over the outer surfaces of the spacing rings 1. Thelower edges of the strip are trimmed so that they Will terminateapproximately at the grooves 2. A second layer of fabric 0i' cord l2 is'applied to the iirst and is smoothed down over the same and over theouter faces of 'the spacing rings and into the grooves 2.

accenno A bead ring 13 is then positioned on each side of thecore. rlheproper position lor each bead ring is clearly. indicated because thegroove 2 into which the fabric or cord has been pressed or may beit'orced 'forms a seat for this ring. The lower edges et the secondlayer et fabric are then folded out Wardly around the bead rings asshown at 1/l. A third layer oit fabric 15 is then ap plied to the secondlayer and its edges i6 are smoothed down over the outer faces of thebead rings 13. Each edge ci this third layer is trimmed so that it willterminate substantially at the inner edge of the con' responding beadring 13. fr fourth layer 17 is applied in substantially the saineinanner as the third layer except that it is not trimmed so short as theprevious layer and its edges 1S are folded under the bead rings. The toplayer 19 of the fabric is smoothed dov'vn over the previous layer butits edges E20 are left tree to constitute which are folded inwardlyafter the spacing rings are removed. llihile five layers ci fabric orcord have been illustrated and described it is, of course, understoodthat this number may be varied as desired.

The next operation is to remove the span-,

ing rings. This may readily be done7 since they are llexible, by pryingout a portion of each ring until it can be gripped with 'the hand. Eachring then be removed by simply pulling it from under the overlyingedgeoi' the tire as shown in lclig. 8.

After the spacing rings are removed the edges ofthe tire will remain inspaced relation to the converging faces il and 5 ot the core as shown inFig. 9. The depending iiaps 2() are then folded invvardljy7 around thebead rings 13 in the manner also indicated in Fig. 9. I

NWhen the core with the tire thereon is placed inthe mold the pressureapplied to the mold during the vulcanizingprocess will force the edgesof the tire toward the converging aces 4l and 5 of the core. is the beadrings 13 are substantially rigid and extensible they will inove in asubstantially straight line toward the core to the full-line positionshown in l? ig. 10. This will obviously produce a transverse stretch-ingci all the layers ofabric because the distance X is less than thedistance Y. s

It Will be apparent that the spacing ring of this invention is verysimple and inoxl pensive to manufacture. It cliiciently performs' itsduty ot.' keeping the edges of the tire spaced troni the convergingfaces of the core and may be.readily removed bv simply pulling it fromthe core uitlioi'lt tirait unlooscning any bolts or other fasteningdevices. As the ring is flexible and can be readily removed it may bemade in one piece or continuous and therefore it inav be handled as aunit. The ring" is lig; and

-in the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. A flexible spacer for use in the manufacture of tires formed toseparate the tire from the core.

2. A liexible spacer for use in the manufacture of tires for separatingthe edges of y the tire-from the core prior to vulcanization.

3. A spacer for use in the manufacture of tires comprising a one-piecering formed to lit the side of the core and separate the edge of thetire therefrom.

'-1. A spacer for use in the manufacture of tires comprising acontinuous ring capable oi being distorted and formed to separate thetire from the core.

5. A spacer for use in the manufacture of tires comprising a ring ofmolded flexible material formed to lie between and separate the tire andcore prior lto vulcanization.

6. The combination with a core for use in the manufacture of tires ot" aiiexiblespacing` ring adapted to be applied to the side of the core toseparate the edge of the tire therefrom.

7. The combination with a core for use in the manufacture or" tires of aone-piece spacing ring adapted to be applied to the side of Ythe coreand separate the tire from the core prior to vulcanization. 'i

8. The combination with a core for use in the manufacture of tires of aone-piece spacing ring formed t0 be applied to the side or' the core toseparate the tire therefrom and capable of being distorted to remove itfrom 'the tire. Y

9. The combination with a core for use in the manufacture or tires of aspacing ring adapted toV be applied to the side of the core so that theedge of the tire may be built over Vthe same, said ring beingdistortable so that it may be readily removed from under the edge of thetire.

10. A spacing ring for use in the manufacture of tires comprising a ringof flexible material adapted when positioned on the core to provide aseat for the tire bead and to separate the tire from the core prior tovulcanization.

Ill. A spacing ring for use in the manufacture of tires comprising acontinuous ring capable of `being laid flat against the side of the coreto separate the tire therefrom and to provide a seat for the tire bead.

12. A tire former comprising in combination a core, a one-piece spacingring placed on the side thereof and over which an edge of the tire maybe placed, the ring being removable to leave a space between the coreand tire edge so that the edge may be moved toward the core to tensionthe tire.

13. A tire former comprising a core, and a pair of one-piece spacingrings, one placed in each side of the core to separate the edges of thetire fromthe core and'being removable so that the tire edges may bemoved toward the core to tension the tire.

14. A tire former comprising a core, a flexible spacing ring placed onthe side thereof to separate an edge of the tire from the` core andbeing removable to leave a space between the tire edge and the core sothat the tire may be put under tension by moving the tire edge towardthe core.

15. A tire former comprising a core, two flexible spacing rings, one tobe placed on each side of the core to separate the edges of the. tirefrom the core and being removable, leaving a space between the tireedges and core so that the tire may be put under teni shape to said coreprior4 to the said' process l of vulcanization.

17. ln an apparatus for making tirecasings, a rigid core to support acasing during the laying up process thereof, and during the process ofvulcanization, and dexible, non-metallic -pads adapted to prevent closeconformation oi" the casing to the core prior to the process ofvulcanization.

18. In an apparatus for making tire casings, a rigid core to supportacasing during the process of laying the casing up thereon and during theprocess of vulcanization of the casing, annular pockets being formed inthe core for accommodation of the casing toe flanges during the saidvulcanization process, and relatively compressihle means to prevent theentrance of the easing toe Hanges into said core pockets during thelsaid laying up process.

19. ln an apparatus for makingtire casings, a rigid core formed withlateral annular pockets, said core being adapted to support a tirecasing during both the laying up and vulcanizing processes of the tire,and flexible means receivable in said core pockets so that the casingside Walls may be laid up thereover in tangential dependence from thecore, said exible means being removable from the core pockets prior tothe commencement of the vulcanizing process.

20. in an apparatus for making tire casingsla rigid core shaped to t theinterior of alinished tire easing, and pads in coninfinity 115e pensionsethe eene te speee the tee :flanges off the tiie easing from the seicore peitons during ehe laying np process of the easing, eine;

'u ne admit of feniemfwitheu'h deoi'meen ef the easing, nnmedietelyprier te the vulcan izing process enf the letsel",

' 2L in en eppafetns :t0n m ekng eine een ings, e gid @ere emned Wishintensi annu i@ 1er pockets at ine juneien of @ne `tmmsvezcse eene websub- "in en eppeletus fer In seing eine eesings, e rigid core formed@*with iefneml ennuler pockets et the' junction of the transverse corecircumference with che core web, substentieiiy es described, anniielatively leormeeie pads conforming te respective pockets, each .padpresenting en oblique face eutwenssly ie engage the corresponding noeflange of e tire casing laid up upon said core.

in Witness whereof, have hereunto subscribed my neme in' 'the presenceof twol witnesses..

ARTHUR A. FRANK.

Witnesses R. Hmnne,

Bnl-WHA L. COKE.

